Spatial Analysis of Alaska Subsistence Harvest Areas to Inform Aquaculture Development

Abstract

Subsistence harvest is vital to rural and Alaska Native communities, yet incorporating harvest areas into marine spatial planning is challenged by data scarcity and privacy concerns. In response to the 2020 Executive Order 13921, this project developed a subsistence harvest data layer to support NOAA’s ongoing Aquaculture Opportunity Area (AOA) site suitability analysis in Alaska. AOAs aim to expand domestic aquaculture while balancing industrial, ecological, and cultural ocean uses. This study digitized information from Alaska Area Plans to map the spatial distribution and types of subsistence harvest activities for integration into GIS-based suitability models. The resulting data layers help identify potential conflicts and inform NOAA’s AOA process. Findings also offer recommendations for updating Alaska Area Plans and centering local needs in aquaculture planning.